A FIGHT to save one of the last swathes of greenbelt land in Tamworth has been dealt a huge blow.

A FIGHT to save one of the last swathes of greenbelt land in Tamworth has been dealt a huge blow.

Despite 462 objections from residents, Tamworth Borough Council has approved plans to build 800 homes on Anker Valley to meet Government targets and demand for new homes.

Residents fighting to save the "valuable" piece of land claim the move is "unnecessary" and will "devastate" the town.

At a full council meeting, calls from independent borough councillor Chris Cooke to delay a decision over Anker Valley until 2011 and from Labour leader Peter Seekings to reduce the allocation to 200 were both knocked back.

Today disheartened campaigners vowed to fight on. Jenny Mowat said: "Our concerns remain the same as ever. We are not back yard protesters as one councillor called us in the meeting. A large greenfield site like the Anker Valley is Tamworth's back yard, the only back yard we have left."

The council had already agreed to slash the number of homes on the Ashby Road Anker Valley site from 1,021 to 800 following public consultation. Planners claim the 800 homes are a key part of the 5,000 homes which need to be built in Tamworth by 2011.

But campaigners argue that other brownfield sites being developed over the next few years would cover the number of homes allocated for the greenbelt site, making its loss "completely unnecessary".

Jenny added: "Our argument will always be it is too many houses built sooner than is necessary, and I think this can be proved again and again by anyone looking at the figures.

"I think once 2011 is over and the real figures of the number of new homes built within the plan period can be counted everyone will be shocked at the numbers above and beyond the 5,000 built un-necessarily.

"We are still considering a number of avenues to take our fight next."

Leader of the council Jeremy Oates said: "This is certainly not a green light for development. The developers have not got permission to build any houses at all.

"Clearly they will need planning permission to be approved first. I read all 462 objections and we considered them."